Machinery Orders in December, 2014 and Forecast for Jan.- Mar. 2015

Results

The total value of machinery orders received by 280 manufacturers operating in Japan
increased by 8.6% in December from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis.
In October-December period it decreased by 3.1% compared with the previous quarter.
Private-sector machinery orders, excluding volatile ones for ships and
those from electric power companies, rose a seasonally adjusted by 8.3% in December,
and showed increase by 0.4% in October-December period.

In the January-March period the total amount of machinery orders was forecasted
to fall by 2.5% and private-sector orders, excluding volatile ones, were forecasted
to increase by 1.5% from the previous quarter respectively. This forecast was basically
made by summing up the figures from 280 machinery manufacturers.

In 2014 Year the total amount of machinery orders rose by 8.9%. Also private-sector orders,
excluding volatile ones, increased by 4.0%.